Support for pressing-irons.



l. RATNER.

SUPPORT Fon PREsssNG moms,

APPLC/TION FILED MN.15,19G.

15mm JHM/wf y l. RATNER.

SUPPORT FOR PRESSING IRONS. AAPPL|cAT|o|\| man mms. 1916.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITH/88158 INVENTUR J/Qaz'zfl' WOM/EVS Patented. Nov. 28, 916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3'.

"'UIIIMl J. RATNER.

SUPPORT FOR PRESSING IRONS.

APPLICATION man 1AN.15,1916.

M 9 lLWf n Mi. "a5, i916.

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Mmm-@d Nom 2%, 12H6.

SHEES-SHEET 4.

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subject of the Czar JEROME RIATNER, 0F NEw-UNwK, NEW JERSEY.

` SUPPORT FOR PRESSING-IRONS.

incense.,

To all 'whom t may concern:

Beit known that l, JEROME RATNER, `a of Russia, and a resident of New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new andlmproved Support for Pressing- Irons, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;

rlhis invention relates to means for supporting or suspending pressing irons upon or "from a iiXed overhead support.

Among the objects of the invention is t0 provide a means whereby the tailor or other operator is relieved from theexpenditure of strength and time required in carrying the pressing iron to a distant ypoint where it is ordinarily supported out of the way of the operator while preparing the gar-- ment for another operation.. A goose or pressing iron in a tailor shop ordinarily has a weight of about eighteenpounds, and because of its mass it contains a great amount of heat. lit follows, therefore, that while the operator is arranging the garment or fabric to be pressed, the heat from the iron is ofttimes uncomfortable, and unless the iron is removed to the source of heat or some othery distant support, not only will the operator be uncomfortable from the heat of the iron, but the fabric itself will be iii danger of becoming burned. vFor the operator to reach to a certain distance across thetable to manipulate the iron and carry it to the distant place of support requires much exertion and the movement from the place of operation to and from the place of support for the iron requires a great amount of time. l

Among'the objects, therefore, of this vinvention is to provide a connection for the pressingiron that will serve to support it either close by and above the point of operation or at -an-y suitable distant point, the means for supporting the iron, providing for a practically automatic movement ofthe iron whereby the -element of time is greatly subeerved. l

'With the yforegoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in' the-'arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the enact details of construction disclosed herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodinient thereof reference is had to the accompanying wings, in which like reference Specication of Letters Patent.

however,

' may easily several views, and in which- Flgure -1 isa side elevation of one form of the mvention showing the iron supported haracters designate thesame parts in the patenten new. a, ia'ic.

,Application led January 15, 1916. Serial No. 72,272. l

in elevated position; Fig. 2 is a view mainly.

in side elevation at right angles to Fig. 1, the supporting rail being in section and the iron omitted, this viewindicating the unlocked position of the supporting means or hanger; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionaldetail on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. Li is a transverse sectional detail on the Aline 4.--4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is aside elevation of a modication; Fig. -6 is a substantially -horizontal sectional view on the line 6--6 of'Fig.5 Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5, but indicating the changed position of the parts with the iron in operating position; Fi .p 8 is a vertical transverse sectionon the Fine 8--.-8 of Fig. 7; Fig-9 is y detail substantially on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of another modification of hanger; Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 11 ofFig. 10; Fig. 12 is an elevation of the principal parts indicated in'Figx 1 but so turned as to be unlocked; and Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional detail on the vline A13---13 of Fig. 10.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, I show a horizontal track rail 10 upon which is antifrictionally supported a trolley4 11 movable freely along the rail. The pressing ironis indicated at 12, the same -being provided with a handle 13 as usual, and extending upwardly from the handle is a bail 14" large and open enough to admit the operators hand freely to the handle. Between the trolley and the bail is arranged what l may term genericaily a hanger 15, the primary function of which is to support the iron 12 upon or from the trolley so as to hold it suspended.y in the air orprovide tation along therail between the source of heat and the place where the tion is to be done. The nature of the hanger,

for its movement or transporpressing operav "7h a vertical sectional may ber suspended thereby for the purposes above set forth, and so retained-indefinitely by its own-automatic action, the operator neutralize the suspending action ofthe hanger and bring the iron promptly ict into operating position with hardly more than a lslight downward draft upon the handle of the iron.

lin the illustration now underfconsideray reasonable limits.

tion, the hanger comprises a rod 16vof any suitable length connected at 17 to the lower portion of the trolley and having its lower end connected by a universal joint 18 to thepupper ends lof a pair of straps 19, to the lower ends of which is connected a hollow cylinder or sleeve 20. At 21 is provided a rod or shank litted within the sleeve 2O and movable freely up or down within the same or around thek axis thereof within The shank is provided with a circular groove`22 forming a square shoulder V.23, with which a releasable detent is adapted to engage to hold the shank elevated.v Between the universal joint 18 andthe upper end of the shank is arranged a light spring 24, the function of which is to counterbalance the weight of the'shank, bailand the universal .joint 25 connecting these two parts. It is to be understood that the counterbalance is not intended to act materially upon the ironto neutralize any of its desired Weight. `When the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 2, the iron is free to be moved to and fro in the usual manner in the pressing operation, the universal joints together with thev rotation of the shank Within the sleeve provides for practically the same freedom of movement of the iron 12 as if the suspending device were not employed. I

lThe detentrnechanism above referred to comprises dog or plunger 26 movable radially through one side of the sleeve 20, as shown best in Fig. 3, so Ilas to snap into the groove 22 and engage the shoulder 23. The vdog is connected to a lever`27 pivoted at 28 at one side of the sleeve, and a spring 29v of rany suitable type or arrangement tends to hold the dog in its engaging posi` tion. The lever 27 may be described as a lever of the lirst class and having'its free end formed with a cam surface 30 against which a trip member 31 carried by the shank 21 is adapted to wipe when the shank isl rotated,v bringing thel end of the trip against the' lever; see Fig. 4. Fig. 1 show- `ing the iron in its supported or elevated position and corresponding to Fig. 3 with respect to the action of the detent mechanism, indicates the position of the iron in which it is held or suspended to adapt it to be freely moved in all directions either with respect to the trolley xr with the trolley along the rail. When t'ie operator has iinished a certain pressin,r operation he will simply lift upwardly upon the iron, and this action, together with the force of the spring 24, will cause the shank to be moved upwardly far enough for the dog 26 to snap into holding position, thereby supporting the Weight of the iron. The iron may then be left suspended in that position or transported along the rail as may be required. It will be understood that many of the individual ressing operations are of short duration. n other Words, after one pressing operation is made, either the garment or fabric must be changed or must be sponged or otherwise treated many times, requiring use of Aboth hands of the operator, but in all events requiring that the iron be out of the way. It will be appreciated that with this improvement the iron may be simply elevated for theselminory successive operations, and then when the operator grasps the handle'and gives a slight rotation of the shank, the tripv member sets freel the shank from the dog, permitting the weight of the iron to bring it down into operating position again. If, however, the iron is to be transported for -reheating, the trolley and hanger sustain the weight thereof after it is lifted so that the operator is relieved from a large amount of unnecessary labor.

In Figs. 5 to 9 I show a modification of my improvement with reference particularly to the type of hanger used. As in'the other form, the trolley 11 operates along a rail with a minimum amount of friction due to the antifriction rollers. The hanger 15 is connected at its upper end by a swivel 17 to the trolley. This hanger includes a head 32 rotatable freely around a vertical axis by virtue of the swivel and supporting at its lower end at 33 a bar 34 pivoted substantially midway of its ends so as to tilt around a horizontal axis.

The bar has connected to its ends a pair of collars 35 and 36. the exact position of the collars, however, being variable and determined by set screws 37. Adjacent the pivot 33 of the bar is a bracket 38 including a pair of collars on opposite sides of the pivot 33. Said bracket is designed for the support of counterbalance means shown herein asin the nature of a spiral spring 39 carried within a casing 40. One'end of the spring is secured to a central bolt 41 locking the casing to the brackety and the other end of the spring is movable freely outwardly through the slot 42 of the casing and between a pair of antifriction rollers 43, said end of the spring being secured to the head 44 at the upper end of the shank 21, having universal joint connection 25 with the bail 14, as already described. The head 44 includes a pair ofantifricti on rollers providing for free longitudinal movement along the bar 34. The4 spring, however, tends` to hold the head adjacent the bracket 38, in which positionv the opposite-end of the bar 34 will be automatically tilted downwardly by virtue `of a weight 45 shiftable freely along'the bar between the collar 35 and the bracket. In this form of the invention, when the operator lifts the iron, the spring v39 will cause the head to approach the bracket freely and the lifting or relieving of the weight on this end of the naoeaee bar will permit the weight 45 to roll freely downwardly toward the opposite end where it will be stopped by the collar 35. Because of the disparity in lengths of the bar arms, the weight 45 will maintain the position indicated in Fig. 5, holding the iron lifted, until the operator draws the iron downwardly again for subsequent use. He also draws, in so doing, the head 44 toward the collar 36, in which position the'weight of the head 44 and parts supported thereby will keep the bar tilted so that the shiftable weight 45 will lie against the bracket 38 and be ineective to lift the iron. Fig.

7 shows the operative position of the iron,

and in this position the iron is free to be moved in all directions due to the flexible universal joint 25 and the swivel 17. At the same time, as explained in connection with the other form of the invention, the entire apparatus is movable with the trolley along the rail. The inner face of the collar 36 is rounded so as to give a free rolling action of the head 44 thereupon as may be advantageous during the operation of the iron.

In the modification shown'in lthe last four iigures, the hanger partakes of the principal characteristics of the first four figures in general appearance, the same including the trolley 11 movable .along the rail 10 and the hanger proper 46 includingI a rod 16 connected by a link 17 to the trolley, a universal joint 18, a .pair of straps 19, a cylindrical sleeve 20, and a plunger or shank 47 corresponding somewhat to the shank 21 above described. The connection between the shank 47 and the iron includes a universal joint 25 and bail 14 as above described.

ln some shops or in the performance of certain kinds of work with a pressing iron, the operator causes the iron to pound upon the work, and for this purpose the forni of the invention shown in Figs.l 10 to 13 is preferred, because, when the iron is turned into operative position as shown in Fig. 12, there is no positive engagement between the shank 47 and the .sleeve 20. When, however, the iron is to be suspended for the reasons previously described, a plunger or dog 48 acting radially inwardly through the side of the sleeve other of'a pair of notches 49 formed in opposite sides of the shank 47 but with the side spaces between the notches remaining unbroken as indicated at 50. While the oplengages in one or the speot to the sleeve.

erator has his hand upon the handle 13 and is manipulating the iron either for pound- 'ing or pressing in the ordinary way, the dog 48 is in vertical alinement with the unbroken spaces 50 of the shank, as shown in Fig. 12, but when the iron isto be suspended the operator gives a-'partial rotation to the shank and iron, when the dog 48 will snap into one' or the other of said notches. The weight of the iron and the friction incident to the contact between the dog and the shank will prevent the spring 24 from turning the iron so that it will drop of its own accord. When the iron is thus suspended', the trolley and parts hung upon the same will be manipulated as before set forth. When the iron is to be used again, the operator grasps the handle and the simple act of turning the iron around to operative position willV automatically release the dog because of the riding up of the same upon the smoothportions of the shank, as will be understood from Fig. 13.

1. rlhe combination with an overhead rail, a trolley movable along the rail and a pressing iron, of ahanger connected at one end to the trolley and at its other end to the iron, said hanger comprising a rod pivoted tothe trolley, .a universal joint connected to the lower end of the rod, a sleeve, a pair ot straps connecting the sleeve to the universal joint, a shank slidable and rotatable within the sleeve, a light spring extending between. the upper end of the shank and the universal joint, means to connect the iron to the lower end of the shank, and means carried by the sleeve tomaintain the shank and iron in an elevated position, said means being releasable upon rotation of the shank.

2. 'l he herein described hanger for a pressing iron, the same comprising an overhead support, a sleeve, means to connect the sleeve to the overhead support, a cylindrical shank slidable and rotatable in the sleeve, said shank beingprovided between its ends with a shoulder, a spring pressed automatic detent carried 'by the sleeve and coperating with said shoulder to hold the shank elevated after it is lifted, and means toV ict cause the release of the detent to lower the shank when the shank is rotated with re- .innonn narnnn.. Witnesses:

SAMUEL RA'rivER.

. NATHAN RosnNFELD. 

